_ 238 _ plain near a stream of very good water. It was inhabited by the same people, with the same life and customs, situated to the north-north-west. Here I saw the best pomegranates of the whole journey, very sweet, as big as lemons, and quinces as sweet as apples. On the following night we had news of many thieves along the road, and we did not dare to leave until well on in the day. In the afternoon, having passed through two places, we camped before, and near another, which had better houses, built in wattle and daub, with two storeys, flat roofs and blinds on the windows, called Haltabad. It is situated to the south of the road and the south-western quarter, and has at the entrance a stream of very good water. That night, in spite of reports that a caravan had been robbed further on a few days before, we did not fail to leave. We travelled until two or three hours after the sun was up and camped in a plain near a good river of water, and a place called Buxdava, situated to the north and the north-eastern quarter, supplied with fruit, for throughout Persia more work is done to plant gardens and orchards than to build either houses or fine buildings. That afternoon we paid six reis in duties to some men who went around guarding that area from the thieves who
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